January 25, 2013 – Minutes
14 people signed attendance sheet.
1. Brant Lake Winter Carnival – Everything is on track. A few minor needs – volunteers for helping with activities. Need early set up, later breakdown help, also volunteers to help with parking.
Ads are going into the Adirondack Journal. Local radio will also be participating.
Waivers and insurance are coming together. The insurance policy from the farmers’ market is being transferred to TLBA so that the festival, St. Pat’s parade, farmers’ market and other special events will be covered. The waiver for the carnival will be finalized at the next meeting which is Monday, Janauary 28 at 4pm at Jimbo’s.
This is the first event of its kind here and we are hoping everything goes well.
2. Rum Runner Weekend meeting – held first meeting to begin organizing September 13-15 Rum Runner event. Main events will be car show and ‘chase.’ Flyers will be made to seek out volunteers.
3. SnoCross event at Green Mansions February 16-17 – Snow is being brought in by the town to help make the necessary trails. There will be a band Friday night. Saturday from 7am to 10am is registration, the races will be held from 10am to 4pm. Sunday races are 10:30am to 4pmThere will also be a band Saturday night, and possible fireworks. The school will have various class groups providing food for fundraising. The event may bring in as many as 500 people. This is part of a national series held in Canada, Maine, New Hampshire. There is a professional series and an amateur series where anyone can come to race. Local prizes will be given out.
There may be another SnoCross event the following weekend, same weekend as the Downhill Derby.
4. TLBA Wine Tasting fund raiser scheduled for April 17.
5. St. Patrick’s Day parade, scheduled for March 9 is moving forward. Next meeting is January 31, 9am at the Panther Mountain House. Select streets in Chestertown will be shut down for the event, and possibly Riverside Street for vendors. The Hibernians from Watervliet will possibly be coming to march. Fire departments and rescue squads will be in attendance as well.
6. TLBA has received its EIN number. It is: 46-1802179, should you need it.
7. The snowshoe trails at Stone Bridge and Caves is now open – 10 miles of trails. Open Friday, Saturday and Sundays (for other days for groups give them a call). Trails are beginner to advanced level. Day pass is $12.98 for adults – add $5 and get a season pass. Rentals are $5 extra. Last year about 70 people used the trails. Hope to boost this number this season.
8. Farmers’ Market meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 5 at 5pm at the Hemlock Ledge. All are welcome.
9. Guest speakers Dan Kelleher and Brian Grisi from the Adirondack Park Association were on hand to talk about Park issues and answer questions.
Dan is head of the Economic Services Unit. Their objective is to assist in project proposals that happen within the Park. The seek to consider the economic benefit while keeping in line with Park guidelines. They will work directly with applicants to help speed up the permitting process – provide services for groups such as TLBA and business owners.
Brian works directly with local planning and zoning boards to help oversee programs and plans.
- Regarding Signage – Signage is one of our biggest issues – directing people to towns and services. There are three different agencies that administer signage in the Adirondacks. They are currently working with Senator Little. The challenge is untangling the state laws between DEC, DOT and APA.
- Scenic Byways Signage – the brown signs. This is designated by a federal program which deals with state highways. Taxes from gasoline sales are used, and it is administered through the DOT. The process is ‘complicated.’ For specific signage requests, work directly with Dan.
- Directional signage and five mile limit requirements. Current federal and state programs are geared towards more populated areas – sign regulations do not take into account small towns such as ours. It was suggested we draft a letter stating some of our needs in this area.
- Regulatory agencies periodically take on ‘themes’ – is there a current theme for APA? The state statute that created the APA in 1973 has remain unchanged, however more work is being done at ‘street level’ to work directly with communities. Sustainable communities are a priority and the current ‘theme’ of APA work, focused on smart growth concepts.
Key initiatives include:
Efficiency – unclog the red tape that holds up programs and projects.
Working directly with DEC to speed up coordination efforts.
- Example: The zoning regulations of the Town of Horicon are more restrictive than the APA. They are working with the town to bring things more in synch.
- Q – What can TLBA and local chambers do to improve things from an APA perspective? Listening to what the towns want to do – help bring more people into town, more businesses into town, more young people to town. Focus on protecting open spaces in the Park. The goal is to help empower us (TLBA) and find the best ways to achieve goals.
Meeting adjourned – Next TLBA Meeting is Friday, February 8, 9am at the Panther Mountain House.
